Sustainable New Construction — Structured, Clear, and Under Control
Expert-led BREEAM, WELL, LEED or GPR New Construction support, from early design to delivery — with clear roles, realistic targets, and assessor-ready documentation.
Start with a focused project design Quickscan — or discuss scope in a short intro call.
What is BREEAM New Construction?
BREEAM New Construction is an international sustainability certification for new buildings. It translates sustainability ambitions into concrete, verifiable requirements across design, construction, and handover, ensuring performance, accountability, and long-term value.
What is WELL?
WELL is a health-focused certification that centers on people rather than buildings. It addresses factors like air, water, light, comfort, and mental wellbeing to create healthier, more productive indoor environments.
What is GPR Gebouw?
GPR Gebouw is a Dutch sustainability tool that scores buildings on energy, environment, health, usability, and future value. It is often used for quick insights, policy alignment, and decision-making in early design or renovation phases.
What is LEED?
LEED is a globally recognized certification focused on sustainable building design and construction. It emphasizes energy efficiency, material choices, and environmental impact, making projects comparable and credible on an international level.
Why choose BREEAM New Construction?
For projects that want depth and long-term value.
BREEAM provides a structured, technically rigorous framework covering energy, materials, health, ecology, and management. It drives integrated design decisions and delivers a credible, independently verified sustainability label.
Best for: ambitious projects seeking measurable performance and strong market positioning.
Why choose WELL?
For projects where people come first.
WELL focuses on health, comfort, and wellbeing. It translates building performance into tangible benefits for occupants, supporting productivity, satisfaction, and long-term retention.
Best for: offices, campuses, and organizations prioritizing employee wellbeing.
Why choose GPR Gebouw?
For speed, clarity, and policy alignment.
GPR offers a practical, transparent scoring method widely used in the Netherlands. It supports early design decisions, municipal requirements, and sustainability roadmaps without unnecessary complexity.
Best for: projects needing fast insight, public-sector alignment, or clear decision support.
Why choose LEED?
For projects with international exposure.
LEED is globally recognized and widely understood by investors, tenants, and multinational organizations. It aligns projects with international ESG expectations and makes sustainability performance comparable across borders.
Best for: portfolios, global tenants, and internationally benchmarked assets.
Why New Construction Sustainability Often Becomes Complex
Sustainability in new construction works best when it’s integrated early and managed consistently. In practice, many projects struggle because:
- Sustainability ambitions are set late or shift during the project
- Responsibilities between client, consultants, and contractors are unclear
- Performance and evidence requirements are underestimated until delivery
- Sustainability is treated as a checklist instead of a design strategy
- Time pressure and compliance risks increase near handover
Without clear structure and ownership, sustainability goals easily turn into last-minute stress instead of a controlled process. This is where experienced, framework-based guidance makes the difference between intent and outcome.
How to Proceed with New Construction Sustainability
Step 1. Low-Commitment Quick Scan
A practical first step to understand where your project currently stands.
I review the available design information and the Program of Requirements and translate your ambitions into realistic sustainability opportunities. You get a clear view of what is feasible, where risks sit, and which frameworks make sense for your project.
What it includes
- Review of current design and requirements against relevant frameworks
- Clear feasibility insights and improvement potential
- Identification of realistic certification paths (BREEAM, LEED, WELL, GPR)
- A concrete baseline you can work from, with or without certification
!! Quick Scan Guarantee !!
If you commission a Quick Scan for one framework, I include a second framework of your choice at no additional cost.
This gives you broader insight without increasing commitment.
One Expert, Multiple Frameworks
New construction sustainability is rarely limited to a single standard.
Different stakeholders, locations, and ambitions often call for different frameworks.
National frameworks
BREEAM-NL and GPR Gebouw are applied within the Dutch regulatory and market context
Strong alignment with municipalities, local policy, and national benchmarks
International frameworks
LEED and WELL can be applied in the Netherlands or internationally
Recognised by international investors, tenants, and portfolio managers
Because I am certified across all four frameworks, I can support projects that require one standard or a smart combination, without adding unnecessary complexity or extra consultants.
What it includes
- One point of contact instead of multiple sustainability consultants
- Aligned strategies across BREEAM, WELL, LEED, and GPR
- Reduced coordination effort, clearer responsibilities, and lower overall costs
- A coherent sustainability narrative instead of overlapping requirements
!! Combined Certification Advantage !!
If your project combines two or more frameworks, the total scope is priced as one integrated assignment.
Overlap in analysis, coordination, and documentation is removed, and the efficiency gained is reflected in a reduced total fee.
Step 2. Certification & Implementation Support
If you’re satisfied with the direction, we can build on the baseline and move into structured certification support.
I guide the project from design through delivery, coordinate with the design and construction team, and ensure that sustainability targets are translated into achievable, verifiable outcomes.
What this includes:
- Full certification support (BREEAM, LEED, WELL, or GPR)
- Coordination with designers, consultants, and contractors
- Sustainability management during construction
- Alignment of evidence, planning, and delivery to avoid late-stage risk
How I Work — Embedded in Your Project Team
Certification frameworks define the requirements. The real difference lies in how those requirements are interpreted, coordinated, and delivered throughout the project.
I work as an integrated part of your project team, translating sustainability ambitions into clear decisions that designers, contractors, and stakeholders can actually work with.
What it includes
Clear roles, scope, and expectations from the start
Everyone knows who does what, when, and why. This prevents overlap, gaps, and late-stage surprises.
Short communication lines and fast feedback
Questions are resolved early, not postponed until delivery or assessment.
Realistic targets and evidence-led decisions
Credits are pursued because they add value and are achievable, not to chase points on paper.
Consistency from design through delivery
Decisions made early are monitored and protected during construction, reducing risk at handover.
Trusted by Consultants, Owners, and Project Teams
I’ve supported BREEAM projects in both Expert and Assessor roles, working alongside established consultants on assets ranging from single buildings to portfolios.
A little insight to the projects i have worked on:
Innocent - The Factory
Version: New construction
Score: Outstanding
Role: Expert (during my time at Deerns)
Function: Factory / Industry
Plus Ultra Utrecht
Version: New construction
Score: Outstanding
Role: Expert (during my time at Deerns)
Function: Office & Labs
RUN 1000
Version: New construction
Score: Excellent
Role: Expert (during my time at Deerns)
Function: Office & Labs
Prefer to talk it through first?
Not Sure Which Route Fits Your Project?
Fill in the form with your request or question and I will respond within two working days. Prefer a faster response? Contact me directly for a same-day reply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why start with a Quick Scan instead of committing immediately?
A Quick Scan gives early clarity without locking you into certification. It shows what is feasible based on the current design and requirements, highlights risks and opportunities, and outlines realistic certification paths. This allows informed decisions before major design choices or commitments are made.
When does it make sense to combine certifications?
Combining certifications makes sense when projects need to meet multiple stakeholder expectations, such as local policy, investor requirements, or occupant wellbeing goals. When aligned early, overlap in analysis and documentation can be reduced significantly.
Can you act as both Expert and Assessor?
For BREEAM-NL, the Expert and Assessor roles must remain independent and cannot be combined. I can support projects as an Expert while working with an external Assessor. For international schemes, role combinations may be possible depending on the framework and project setup.
Which certification schemes can you support?
I support BREEAM-NL, GPR Gebouw, WELL, and LEED. BREEAM-NL and GPR are applied within the Dutch context, while WELL and LEED can be used in the Netherlands or internationally.
Can the Quick Scan cover more than one certification?
Yes. When you commission a Quick Scan for one framework, I include a second framework of your choice at no additional cost. This allows you to compare options and define a strategy without increasing commitment.
How much effort does certification require from the project team?
That depends on ambition level and how early sustainability is integrated. My role is to minimise disruption by aligning evidence with normal design and construction processes, clearly assigning responsibilities, and avoiding last-minute evidence collection.
Still have questions? Book a short call to discuss your project—no obligations.